Kakashi's Choice
by Archraven
Summary: In order to protect his sensei’s dignity and his sensei’s son, Kakashi was forced by Orochimaru to make a difficult decision. Now 12 years later, Kakashi must face Orochimaru again.
1. Chapter 1

Summary:

**Summary:**

**On the night the Kyuubi was sealed, the Fourth Hokage wasn't the only one to make a sacrifice. In order to protect his sensei's dignity and his sensei's son, Kakashi is forced by Orochimaru to make a difficult decision. Oneshot but may become a story.**

**Enjoy!!**

The sealing jutsu was completed.

Kakashi panted as he ran towards where his sensei had fell. He was dimly aware of the temporary shiled being placed around the area. For at least an hour, no one would be able to get in the forest, just in case the Kyuubi had not been properly contained. Kakashi had no such thoughts of the fact the sealing jutsu had not been performed properly. He had a lot of faith in his sensei.

The teenage ANBU captain was currently the only one inside the shield. Kakashi was experiencing a mixture of different emotions at once. The feelings of loss, grief and heart wrenching despair. His sensei was dead. Dead by saving the village hidden in the leaves.

Kakashi gritted his teeth as he continued to run, feeling also worried for the little boy his sensei had been carrying during the sealing jutsu. His sensei's son. Naruto.

Kakashi started as he recognized a familiar chakra signal heading towards the Fourth's body as well. It was the Toad Sage, Jiraiya. Kakashi nodded. It made sense after all.

Finding the Fourth Hokage's body was much worse than Kakashi expected. He quickly checked Minato's pulse for the tiniest chance that his sensei could still be alive. Kakashi's body started to shake violently as he failed to find a pulse beat.

"Baka sensei," Kakashi whispered, angrily wiping away the tears that fell from Obito's eye. "Real baka."

A warm hand clasped Kakashi's shoulder.

"It's alright Kakashi," Jiraiya said sadly. "He's happy."

Kakashi nodded his agreement. It was important to remember that the Konoha's Yellow Flash was happy to die for his beloved village. A baby's cry shattered the night's peace.

Jiraiya and Kakashi looked at each other. Jiraiya gently carried the crying blond baby away from the dead body. Despite everything Jiraiya had to smiled. For though the baby had a seal mark on his tummy, he simply looked so much like his late father.

"Is Naruto alright?" Kakashi asked, standing up from his kneeling position.

"Fine," Jiraiya replied, "except for the fact that there's a demon inside him."

Kakashi flinched slightly. He picked up a sharp rock and allowed it to make a shallow cut on his thumb, causing a small trickle of blood to flow.

"Summoning jutsu!"

A pack of ninja dogs appeared in front of Kakashi. Kakashi smiled at the dogs tiredly and gestured at his sensei's body.

"Sensei…" he murmured helplessly. "Sensei's…dead."

The nin dogs took in the situation quickly. They ran to Kakashi, offering him the comfort he needed. Jiraiya almost smiled at the touching scene in front of him, where all the nin dogs licked and nudged at their master lovingly. Kakashi hugged one of the larger dogs and buried his face in the dog's fur. The teenager's frame shook as he tried to cope with the raw grief at having lost a fatherlike figure.

"Now isn't this touching."

All the nin dogs growled and Jiraiya whipped around with Naruto still in his arms. Kakashi kept his eyes closed for a second longer before raising his head to look at the intruder.

"Orochimaru." Jiraiya snarled. The slim figure leaning against the tree nodded and smiled gleefully.

"Jiraiya." Orochiamaru said, stepping out of the shadows.

"What do you want?" Kakashi asked threateningly. Orochimaru shrugged and moved closer. He leered at the 4th Hokage's fallen body.

"Nothing much." Orochimaru replied. "Just want to pay my respects for the pathetic dead."

"Now tell me what you really came here for Orochimaru." Jiraiya was rigid in fighting stance.

"Minato Namikaze is in the Bingo Book," Orochimaru hissed. "I know quite a lot of people who would pay me a lot of money for his head."

"Not even you would stoop this low." Jiraiya said, looking aghast. But Orochimaru's smirk was enough to convinve him and Kakashi that Orochimaru was serious.

"You're not taking my student's body," Jiraiya yelled angrily and Kakashi growled his answer. His sensei deserved a funeral befitting a Hokage and a hero.

Orochimaru moved quickly and suddenly disappeared. Kakashi could only gasp at the sannin's speed.

"He wants me to fight him." Jiraiya said in a low voice. He handed Naruto to Kakashi and quickly took off after Orochimaru. Kakashi watched him go worriedly. The Toad Sage's cakra levels and strength was low due to the Kyuubi's attack. Orochiamaru stood a better chance at winning the duel then Jiraiya did.

Kakashi looked at the baby inside the bindle of blankets. The baby had blue eyes exactly like his father and the same unruly hair which was also not unlike the way Kakashi's hair stood up. Naruto cooed and giggled softly. Kakashi stared at Naruto remembering his sensei'd last words.

"_Protect Naruto for me Kashi and teach him when the time's right. Promise me?"_

"You're going to be fine," Kakashi informed the baby orphan. Naruto smiled at Kakashi. His smile was the very same smile that Minaro had always gave Kakashi and Kakashi could already feel his heart breaking.

He knew that the village would treat Naruto the same way they had treated Kakashi. With contempt, hate and fear.

"BANG!"

There was a terrific crash and then silence. Kakashi drew Naruto closer to him and looked around warily. The battle between the two sannins was clearly over, but who won?

"Looking for me?"

Kakashi spun around and his eyes narrowed at the amused Snake Sannin.

"What did you do to Jiraiya sama!" Kakashi asked angrily.

"He'll live." Orochimaru said casually and Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't afford to loose anyone else that night.

"Now," Oroachimaru said, "to get what I came for. If you would just step aside Kakashi _kun_."

"No." Kakashi growled. "Sensei deserves a decent funeral."

Orochiamaru laughed and came closer.

"Your pathetic excuse for a Hokage is dead," he mocked. "He was never very useful while he was alive but at least now he can be useful to me dead."

"Don't talk about sensei like that!" Kakashi yelled, radiating anger and hate.

"That stupid fool," Orochimaru continued coldly, "didn't realize that his sacrifice was worthless. Konoha is going to crumble whether he likes it or not."

"Chidori!" Kakashi screamed and he zoomed in towards Orochimaru. Naruto was still cradled in his left arm and his right hand was out and surrounded by blue chakra.

Oroachimaru laughed annoyingly and to Kakashi's dismay, grabbed the wrist of his right hand before the Chidori even touched the twisted genius. Kakashi gasped in pain as his wrist was squeezed painfully.

All the nin dogs growled in anger and made to attack Orochimaru but Kakashi stopped them with an order.

"Stay with sensei's body," he gasped out, trying to release Orochimaru's grip on his wrist. The loyal nin dogs retreated reluctantly.

"You know Kakashi," Orochimaru said thoughtfully. "I've always wanted to see what you're hiding under your mask."

Orochimaru's other hand reached out and pulled down Kakashi's mask. Kakashi couldn't do anything to stop him, short of dropping Naruto to move his left hand. Kakashi's face colored in humiliation as his handsome face was exposed.

It was too much for Kakashi's dogs to see their master so defenseless. They barked viciously and leapt forward. But Orochimaru roughly pulled Kakashi towards him by Kakashi's wrist. Orochimaru used one hand to bend Kakashi's right arm backwards painfully and he used his other hand to hold a kunai under Kakashi's chin.

"Unless you want your master's pretty face scarred," Orochimaru said to the dogs, "I suggest that you move away."

Not wanting any harm to come to their master, the nin dogs were forced to retreat. Full of concern for Kakashi, the dogs didn't notice the venomous snakes heading about to attack them. But Kakashi did notice.

"Dismissed!" Kakashi yelled and the nin dogs disappeared in a puff of smoke before the snakes could strile.

Orochiamru hissed in anger and Kakashi suddenly found snakes coiling around his legs, rooting him to the spot. Orochimaru released Kakashi and walked towards Kakashi's sensei. Kakashi snarled as Orochimaru kicked out at the body. Naruto began to cry quietly.

"You know Kakashi," Orochiamru smirked. "I've been thinking that I should take Naruto along with me as well."

"No…" Kakashi whispered horrified. He clung to Naruto tightly.

"Trained properly, Naruto can become a useful weapon to me, what with the nine tails in his body," Orochiamru explained.

"You touch Naruto and I'll-" Kakashi snarled again but was cut off.

"And you'll what?"

Kakashi realized that the snaked around his legs were gone. He was able to move and attack but Kakashi knew it was pointless. Orochimaru had the upper hand and the two geniuses knew it.

Kakashi hugged Naruto tighter. Naruto was his sensei's son. His godbrother. Naruto was his future student. No matter what happened, Kakashi knew that he had to protect Naruto.

Kakashi fell to his knees and bowed his head.

"Please Orochimaru sama," Kakashi said hoarsely. "Don't take sensei's body or Naruto. I'll do anything you want."

"Anything?" Orochimaru raised an eyebrow.

"Anything." Kakashi said heavily.

"Good boy," Orochimaru smirked. "I just so happen to want something from you.

Kakashi raised his head queationingly.

"I want a sixth of your chakra."

"What?!"

Kakashi's mind raced. He knew it was possible to transfer chakra but why did Orochimaru want his chakra? Would it harm the village? Kakashi also knew that he would become somewhat weaker, only able to perform 4 Chidoris a day- but that wasn't important.

"Why?" Kakashi questioned.

"You're not in the position to ask questions Kakashi." Orochinaru said. He suddenly disappeared again and reappeared with Naruto in his arms.

"Naruto!" Kakashi yelled alarmed.

"It's your choice Kakashi kun." Orochimaru said lazily. Naruto started to wail louder as he sensed that something evil was holding him. Kakashi only took a second to decide.

"Fine," Kakashi muttered with distaste.

Orochimaru held out his hand. Kakashi took the hand and screamed in pain as he transferred his chakra. Whilst Kakashi was screaming however, Orochimaru was smiling as he felt his chakra amount increase.

Kakashi finished transferring a sisth of his chakra and he blacked out. The young teenager fell unconscious beside his sensei's prone body. Orochimaru dropped Naruto on Kakashi with disgust and flitted away.

The blond baby stared at the unmasked face for a while before reaching out with a chubby hand to pull Kakashi's mask back on. Just then, the shield was removed and shinobis started to appear at the scene.

**I wrote this while I was trying to think of what to write next for my new chapter in "Choices". Choices will continue as normal and I hope to update Choices soon.**

**I hope you all enjoyed the plot and I will turn this oneshot into a story if I get enough ideas and reviews. If I do, the story would be set in the future, at where Team 7 had just finished taking the Chunin Exams.**

**Review please!!**


	2. Chapter 2

Kakashi watched his students spar with each other and smiled

**I'm finally continuing "Kakashi's choice". Hope you like the chapter. **

_--_

_Kakashi watched his students spar with each other and smiled. They seemed so happy and Kakashi was contented to sit back lazily and watch them. Sasuke seemed to be winning as he managed to hold both Naruto and Sakura back. But Naruto made a comeback by kicking Sasuke in the shin, causing Sasuke to fall. Naruto's cry of victory echoed through the training field._

"_HAH! Take that teme," Naruto yelled. "I totally beat you! I am the best! I'm the best! I'm the – AARGH!"_

_Kakashi gasped in horror as he saw snakes start to coil around his students._

"_Sensei!" Naruto screamed. "Help us!"_

_Kakashi got up quickly and made to run and help Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto. But before he could do so, a wire flew at him and latched his left hand to the tree that was behind him._

_Almost immediately, another wire came out of nowhere and latched his other hand to the same tree. More wires were flung at Kakashi, securing his entire torso to the tree. His legs were also bound in a similar manner._

"_Sensei! Help-" Naruto's cries were stopped as the snakes started to go around his head. Kakashi could only watch despairingly as he saw his students drown in a sea of snakes. Orochimaru suddenly appeared in front of Kakashi._

"_Like what you're seeing Kakashi kun?" Orochimaru leered. Kakashi struggled violently with the wires that was restraining him, but it seemed that the more he struggled, the more tighter the wires became._

"_Stop it!" Kakashi yelled at the snake sannin. "Please, call off the snakes!"_

"_Of course Kakashi kun," Orochimaru smirked. In an instant the snakes vanished, leaving behind Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. All three clearly dead. _

"_NOOOO!" Kakashi screamed._

_Tears fell down his face as he saw the dead bodies of his new family. His students' unblinking eyes looked at him accusingly. Asking him why he couldn't save them. Why couldn't he save the others? Why? Why? WHY?_

_--_

"No!"

Kakashi sat up n bed, his breathing coming out in short gasps. His body was drenched in sweat and his covers were a tangled mess around his feet. His outburst had woken up the nin dogs that slept around his bed. The dogs looked at their master with concern.

"I'm all right," Kakashi muttered to his dogs. "Just another nightmare. Go back to sleep."

The nin dogs raised a sceptical eyebrow. Their master was shaking and shivering and could hardly be counted as "alright".

"Really," Kakashi tried to assure his dogs, "I'm fine."

Kakashi rested his head on his knees. He caught sight of the alarm clock on his window sill. It was only just about midnight. And beside his clock was the team picture of Team 7.

Sighing, Kakashi closed his eyes. But try as he might, he simply could not get rid of the image of his dead students. Even thinking about it sent a shiver of fear down Kakashi's spine.

Without Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura, Kakashi would be alone. And he never wants to experience that kind of loneliness again.

With a groan, Kakashi got out of his bed. H emade sure not to step on any of the dogs as he went to put on his jounin uniform.

"Where're you going," Pakkun asked, opening one eye.

"Just getting some fresh air," Kakashi replied, pulling on his gloves.

"Nightmare scared you that bad huh?" Pakkun said acutely. Kakashi glared at the dog.

"Don't know what you're talking about," the elite jounin said shortly.

"You're going to check up on your students," Pakkun stated. "Make sure they're okay. You worry about them too much."

"I'm not worried about anyone," Kakashi growled. "I'm just going to get some air!"

And with that, Kakashi stormed out of the house.

"Stubborn kid," Pakkun remarked. "Exactly like his father."

The nin dogs around the pug all whined in agreement.

--

Kakashi visited Sakura first. He stepped up to her bedroom window and smiled as he saw the pink headed kunoichi sleeping soundly. Kakashi slipped through the window into the room quietly.

Sakura's room consisted of everything a perfectly normal teenager would have. Kakashi sometimes forget that Sakura was not an orphan like the rest of Team 7. She had a loving mother and father and had never known what it felt like to loose someone precious in your life.

Moving closer to Sakura, Kakashi saw that she was gripping an object tightly in her hand whilst she slept. Kakashi was surprised to find that it was the Team 7's photo that she was holding. Kakashi felt a rush of affection at the girl he considered as a little sister.

He pulled down his mask and brotherly kissed Sakura on the forehead. Sakura stirred slightly but did not wake up. Kakashi left as quietly as he came in.

--

Kakashi visited Sasuke next. He was disappointed to see that Sasuke was still wide awake. The genius Uchiha was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling above. Kakashi landed into Sasuke's room loudly, causing the black haired teenager to jump and sit up in surprise.

"You know, if you keep dreaming about getting revenge on Itachi like this, you're going to get insomnia." Kakashi remarked.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked angrily.

"I have my reasons," Kakashi shrugged. "Now go to sleep."

"I don't need you to tell me what to do," Sasuke said, somewhat childishly.

"As your sensei," Kakashi reminded Sasuke, "I have every right to tell you what to do. Now, seriously get some sleep."

Sasuke grumbled but obeyed the order. Kakashi cheerfully switched off the light and left.

"Who's he to tell me what to do," Sasuke grumbled. "Stupid jounin, always turning up late and giving lame excuses just because he can, that…"

The ranting about his sensei carried on but inside, Sasuke smiled. At least someone cared about him.

--

Naruto was the last on Kakashi's list. He crept into Naruto's room easily as the window was wide open. Unlike Sasuke, Naruto was deeply asleep.

Naruto was lying a little too close to the edge of the bed and his blanket was tangled around his feet. The boy was snoring lightly and Kakashi noticed that Naruto had forgotten to remove his dirty shoes before going to bed.

Kakashi almost laughed at the way Naruto was sleeping. He slept exactly like Kakashi's former sensei. Living with the 4th Hokage as a child, there were many times at which Kakashi had been woken up by the sound of his sensei falling off his bed.

"Baka," Kakashi sighed as he approached Naruto. He gently lifted Naruto and put the sleeping boy in the middle of the bed. Naruto muttered something about Ramen and did not wake up. Kakashi then opened Naruto's shoes and put them by the boy's bed.

It was only after Kakashi covered Naruto with his blanket did he smiled again. Naruto was still so innocent despite all the things he had been through in his life. Naruto was able to see goodness in everyone he met and sometimes able to bring out the goodness in the person.

"Silly kid," Kakashi grinned and affectionately ruffled Naruto's hair. Naruto muttered something under his breath. Kakashi caught the words "defeat" and "Sasuke".

Kakashi was a genius but it did not take a genius to work out what the blond kid was dreaming about.

Kakashi closed the window as he left. After all, an open window increases the risk and potential danger to a ninja.

--Orochimaru's lair--

"Your chakra amount is more than anyone else's Orochimaru sama," Kabuto said after examining his master. "Not only have you got more chakra, but you also have a mixture of different variations as well."

"It would seen so Kabuto," Orochimaru hissed. "I've got water chakra, wind chakra, earth chakra, fire chakra and even _pure _lightning chakra. But you know that there is another type of chakra I want."

"Yes Orochimaru sama," Kabuto nodded. "You want the chakra of a tailed beast."

"The chakra of a tailed beast is so powerful that as long as one have the knowledge, anything can be achieved." Orochimaru said, the greed plan in his eyes. "I want that chakra."

"The only way to get that kind of chakra is through a jinchuriki," Kabuto said. "And the chakra has to be given willingly. How will you convince a jinchuriki to give you their chakra?"

"It's easy Kabuto, once you know the way the person's mind work," Orochimaru smirked. "After all, didn't I get that brat Kakashi to give me some of his chakra? Anyone will do anything to save the ones precious to them."

"Which jinchuriki will you use?" Kabuto asked, though he already knew the answer.

"I've picked an easy prey," the snake sannin smiled. "Uzumaki Naruto."

--

**Sorry if you're disappointed that there is not enough action. I just felt that I needed to emphasize the bond Team 7 has and how important Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura are to Kakashi. **

**This chapter is set just after Tsunade's been announced as the 5****th**** Hokage by the way.**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!**

**RNR!!**


	3. Chapter 3

Heya

**Heya! Thank you all so much for your reviews! Here's the next chapter!**

A few days later, Kakashi was waiting by the Hokage's room along with Asuma, Gai and Kurenai. The four of them had been summoned to see the Hokage for an important mission together.

"It's nice to finally combine our teams and go on a mission together isn't it?" Kurenai smiled.

Asuma smiled back at her while Gai nodded energetically.

"Yosh! With all our youth power combined, there will be no enemy too strong, no sea too deep, no mountain too high, no tree too tall, no –" Gai declared dramatically but was interrupted .

"We get the point Gai," Kakashi scowled.

"You alright Kakashi?" Asuma asked after looking at him carefully.

"I'm fine," Kakashi said, frowning slightly. "Why?"

"My Eternal Rival," Gai said, rather loudly, "you look a bit tired."

"I'm fine," Kakashi repeated, but added on mentally, "It's just that I keep having nightmares about my students dying and can't get to sleep at all."

Kakashi did indeed look tired. He had bags under his eyes, seemed slightly skinnier as though he had suddenly lost a lot of weight and his normally spiky hair dropped down.

Everyone else was silent and did not pester Kakashi with more questions. Asuma, Gai and Kurenai knew better than to try and get any answers out of Kakashi if he didn't want to give the answers. After, Kakashi was the guy who made even Morino Ibiki stamp his foot in frustration.

"Kakashi, Asuma, Gai and Kurenai," the Lady Hokage called out from her room, "report!"

In an instant, Kakashi and the other three jounins were in the Hokage's room, awaiting their orders. Kakashi noticed that Shizine wasn't beside the Hokage as she normally was.

"I have a mission concerning all four of you teams." Tsunade said imperiously. "You and your students will be escorting a very important member of the council to the Land of Wind."

"Who is this council member?" Gai asked, his curiousity getting better of him.

"Rasikai Nandango," Tsunade said, noting that the name of the highly respected council member made Kakashi flinch slightly. "This will be a B ranked mission which will begin tomorrow afternoon. Do you all accept on behalf of your teams?"

Kakashi hesitated before saying, "Hai" along with his fellow comrades.

"Alright then," Tsunade nodded. "You are all dismissed, except for you Kakashi. I need to speak to you."

Cringing inwardly, Kakashi stayed behind as the others left. She had a very strict look on her face which made Kakashi slightly nervous.

"Yes Tsunade sama?" Kakashi asked respectfully.

"We wanted to see you Kakashi," Tsunade said, crossing her arms. Kakashi blinked in surprise as he saw Jiraiya suddenly standing next to Tsunade, looking unusually serious.

"Something wrong?" Kakashi asked tentatively, and Jiraiya threw up his arms in mock despair.

"Something wrong?!" Jiraiya raged. "Don't you understand anything? The question is what is wrong with _you_?"

"I'm fine," Kakashi frowned defensively. Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"Kakashi, you look shattered as though you haven't been sleeping for a week!" Tsunade complained.

"Not to mention that you are finally as skinny as a scarecrow," Jiraiya grinned at his own pun.

"I'm fine," Kakashi said for the 4th time that day. That sentence was really beginning to annoy him.

Tsunade sighed and walked over to Kakashi. She examined his impassive face closely and then deftly pulled down his mask.

"Hey!" Kakashi yelled indignantly but Tsunade brushed off his protest.

"Oh shut up," she said briskly. "It's not like I haven't seen your face before."

Kakashi shot Jiraiya a dirty look as Jiraiya smirked at Kakashi's apparent discomfort.

"So princess," Jiraiya talked to Tsunade, "what _is _wrong with the stubborn brat? Apart from the obvious of course."

Kakashi shot Jiraiya another glare.

"Well Jiraiya," Tsunade smiled, "it would seem that Kakashi is suffering from nightmares.

"Who – me?" Kakashi asked innocently, putting on his most angelic face which would have most women thinking that he could do no wrong. Unfortunately, Tsunade wasn't like most women.

"Don't even give me that Hatake," Tsunade said angrily. "You should really have came to see me before instead of acting like a child and denying that you're alright!"

"I don't get nightmares and I don't act like a child," Kakashi pouted childishly.

"Bags under eyes, loss of weight, chewed on lips and your new moody behaviour all points towards nightmares." Tsunade said logically.

"Alright, I've been getting a few nightmares," Kakashi agreed grumpily. "What's the big deal? I can still do everything properly."

"You sure about that?" Tsunade asked sceptically. "You look like a breeze would blow you over."

"I'm fine," Kakashi insisted.

"No, you're not," Tsunade insisted strongly.

"I am."

"You're not."

"I am!"

"You're not!"

Jiraiya smiled with amusement as he watched the two well respected ninjas quarrel like little children.

"Kakashi," he said calmly. "Tsunade has a point. Why don't you let her help you deal with your nightmares."

"Talking to you is like asking a little kid to eat his vegetables!" Tsunade said exasperatedly.

"I always eat my vegetables." Kakashi muttered. "And I really am f – "

Kakashi didn't manage to finish the rest of his sentence because at that moment, Tsunade had suddenly put a finger on his forehead. A flicker of chakra ran through her finger and into Kakashi.

Kakashi shuddered slightly before falling to the floor unconscious, Jiraiya managed to catch Kakashi before he touched the ground. The toad sage looked at the smug looking Hokage curiously..

"What did you do to him?" Jiraiya asked, slightly concerned about his best friend'sson.

"Nothing," Tsunade replied. "Just sent some chakra which will put him in a deep sleep until tomorrow morning. He won't be having any dreams or nightmares for a few weeks."

"Impressive," Jiraiya grinned.

"I know," Tsunade said, displaying her lack of modesty. "He should be ready for tomorrow's mission. Take him home and put him in his bed Jiraiya."

She failed to notice a snake slink out of her room silently to report to it's master.

--

Jiraiya lay Kakashi gently down onto his bad. The much younger ninja looked unusually peaceful as he slept on. Jiriaya frowned at the watching nindogs.

"You know, you could have told someone that you master was having nightmares," Jiraiya said reprovingly.

"He wouldn't let us," the pug dog said lazily. "You know how he is."

Jiraiya sighed and nodded. He told the nin dogs to look after Kakashi before leaving the building. Memories of the long gone past came back to haunt him….

--20 years ago--

_Jiraiya knocked on the Hatake's house door loudly. Tsunade and Orochimaru stood beside him as they waited for the door to open. It had been nearly 2 years since they had last saw their close friend, Sakumo, due to the missions they were given. And Jiraiya and Tsunade couldn't wait to see the white haired man again._

"_Yes?"_

_Jiraiya, Tsunade and Orochimaru received a huge surprise as they stared at the six year old boy who had opened the door. _

_The boy had spiky silver hair and pure pale skin. With his feminine mouth and sharp nose, he was absolutely the cutest 6 year old anyone could ever have met._

"_You must be Kakashi," Tsunade said, her eyebrows raised._

_Jiraiya's eyes widened as he made the connection between the serious looking toddler playing with his father's kunai and the proud looking boy with a Leaf Village headband._

"_And you are?" Kakashi asked, rather rudely in Jiraiya's opinion._

"_Let us in kid," Orochimaru scowled. "We're the sannins. We're here to see your tousan."_

"_And how do I confirm that?" Kakashi asked, blocking the doorway._

"_Don't you recognise us?!" Jiraiya yelled and Kakashi shrugged. _

"_I suppose you look like the three sannins but you could still be a henge jutsu, trying to get me to let you in so that you try to kill me and tousan." Kakashi explained._

_The sanin's mouths dropped at the six year old's paranoia._

"_How do you know about Henge jutsus and why are you wearing Sakumo's forehead protector?!" Jiraiya yelled._

"_I am a chuunin of the leaf village," Kakashi said proudly._

_Before the sannins could start to protest at the outrageous statement, a voice called out from inside the house._

"_Kashi?" Sakumo's voice called out. "Who's at the door?"_

"_Just the three sanins here to see you tousan," Kakashi called back. Sakumo appeared at the door in an instant._

"_Jiraiya? Tsunade? Orochimaru?" the handsome man was surprised to say the least._

_Kakashi waited by the door patiently as he watched his father exchange fond greetings with the three famous Sandaime's students._

"_Are they really the three sanins tousan?" Kakashi asked after the peculiar greetings were over._

"_It's really them Kashi," Sakumo grinned at Kakashi._

"_But you said that the Princess Tsunade was beautiful," Kakashi was confused._

_Tsunade turned red with anger._

"_What did you say you brat!" Tsunade screamed. Sakumo had to restrain Tsunade from jumping at Kakashi, who seemed unimpressed._

"_He's just six Tsunade," Sakumo said, trying to calm Tsunade down. "He still doesn't recognise true beauty when he sees it."_

"_You're just trying to charm me," Tsunade said, but she smiled nevertheless. Jiraiya sighed and made a mental note on asking Sakumo how does he manage to handle Tsunade so easily._

"_You better go to your traning now Kashi," Sakumo smiled and ruffled Kakashi's hair._

"_Alright tousan," Kakashi smiled back. He gave Sakumo a brief hug and gave the three sannins a suspicious look before heading to the training ground at full ninja speed._

"_He really is a chuunin?" Jiraiya asked weakly, while Tsunade and Orochimaru had their mouths open in amazement._

_Sakumo nodded proudly and promptly invited the dumbstruck sannins in. He couldn't wait to see the look on Jiraiya's face when he told him that it was in fact his former blond student who was Kakashi's sensei._

--

Jiraiya shook his head empty from the memories. The past was gone. Sakumo was dead. Minato was dead. Kakashi had changed so much, toughened by the war which had taken away so many of the people he loved.

Everyone was eventually going to die.

"Guess that's fate," Jiraiya sighed and moved on.

--Orochimaru's lair--

"It would seem that Naruto kun is going on a mission tomorrow," Orochimaru said to Kabuto.

"Yes master," Kabuto nodded. "I suppose we will ambush him during the mission?"

"We wait to ambush him after the mission Kabuto," Orochimaru said cunningly. "Then, he and his squad would be weaker and chakra amounts would also be low."

"Master Orochimaru," Kabuto said, "if you don't mind me asking, how will you get Naruto to give you his demon chakra?"

"Everyone has a weakness Kabuto," Orochimaru smirked. "Uzumaki Naruto is no exception."

--

**YAAAAAAAAAY! It's the summer hols! I am so glad!**

**Sorry about late chapter update. **

**What did you think about the flashback? I enjoyed writing that the most! Stories about Kakashi when he was a kid are soooo sweet!**

**Could be a while before I update the next chapter as well since I'm going away for the holidays.**

**Anyway, read and review please!!**


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